Product display tower

ABSTRACT

A product display tower for utilization with tools, accessories, and related items on display in a retail showroom, having multiple sides and corner poles, a pole assembly having multiple poles corresponding in number to the number of corners and extending upwardly proximate each of the corners. A plurality of support assemblies corresponding in number to the number of sides of the base assembly, each formed of at least two vertical support members having a plurality of horizontally spaced-apart support wires extending between and interconnected to the corner poles, form product display supports on each of the sides of the base assembly. Corner brackets attachable to the wires of two adjacent sides and surrounding the corner pole provide support for items from the corners, as well as from the sides.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a multi-sided product displaytower for maximizing the display space of various tools, accessories,and the like for retailers, and, more particularly, to permit thedisplay of items from any corner of the product display tower as well asfrom any side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Merchandise displays have evolved over the years, and retailers havesought improved ways to at least: (1) prominently display various typesof goods, including featured and promotional items, (2) facilitate thestocking of merchandise on or in displays, and to the ease of removal bya consumer for both inspection and purchase, and (3) maximize thequantity/volume of merchandise per display, while at the same timeminimizing the floor space requirement.

With respect to the prominent display of various goods, vendors andretailers have developed numerous alternatives including the placementand location of displays within a retail facility, the uniqueness of theshape of the display, e.g., how products might be stacked or arranged ina unique geometry to portray a particular theme, and the use ofinnovative signage.

With regard to the stocking and removal of merchandise, numerous bins,racks, trays, hangers, shelves, etc. having been developed toaccommodate various types of goods. For example, angled trays, shelves,and hangers have been developed so that products stocked on a shelf,tray, or hanger will slide or roll downwardly when a consumer removesthe forwardmost item from the shelf, tray, or hanger.

Lastly, with respect to maximizing the quantity/volume of merchandiseper display, while at the same time minimizing the floor spacerequirement, display vendors and retailers have sought, among othersolutions, innovative packaging to minimize package sizes to contain thesame quantity of products, e.g., shrink wrapping, and various geometriesfor the displays themselves. For example, displays have been developedwherein products may be displayed on both sides of a single verticaldisplay, and multi-sided and rotating displays have been designed.However, product display has been limited to placement within the heightand width of the individual vertical walls/sections forming the display.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a novel product/merchandise displaytower, which is so constructed that it permits the placement ofmerchandise not only on the vertical surfaces of the product displaytower, but also permits the placement of merchandise about each of thecorners of the display tower.

The display tower is primarily intended for larger items such as avariety of handheld tools such as trimmers, pruners, and the like. Thetower includes a plurality of vertically extending corner polessupported at the upper and lower extremities by a header and base. Thetower is preferably four sided, but could have three, five, six or moresides. A plurality of horizontally spaced support wires extend betweenand are connected to the corner poles (or at least some of them) to formproduct display supports. One or more corner brackets formed of aproduct carrier member, a pair of legs extend angularly from the productcarrier, each terminating at a hanger plate. The brackets are soconfigured that they may be selectively attached to and supported bycorresponding support wires on adjacent sides of the display tower. Thusproducts can be displayed from the corners of the display tower, as wellas from the sides.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the product displaytower comprises a base assembly having multiple sides and corners. Aplurality of corner poles, posts, or tubes corresponding in number tothe number of corners extend upwardly proximate each of the corners. Aplurality of support assemblies corresponding in number to the number ofsides of the base assembly each comprise at least two vertical supportmembers. Each vertical support member has a plurality of horizontallyspaced-apart support wires extending therebetween and interconnectedthereto. Each support assembly is attached between an adjacent pair ofpoles to form product display attachments on each of the sides of theproduct display tower. A header assembly has a corresponding number ofcorners, which are interconnected to each of the upwardly extendingpoles. Thus, the spaced-apart support wires are so dimensioned andconfigured to receive product brackets that are shaped to attach to thespaced-apart supports so that products may be displayed from each of thesides of the product display tower. Further, and importantly the productdisplay tower is so configured and dimensioned that corner brackets,which also carry product (probably larger product) may be attached tospaced-apart supports on adjacent sides of the product display tower sothat the corner brackets may be attached about the corners of the tower.Thus, products may be displayed around the entire periphery, i.e., 360degrees, of the product display tower.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the product display tower in accordancewith one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the product display tower of FIG.1;

FIG. 2A is a close-up view of a portion of one of the horizontallyspaced-apart support member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the base assembly of the display towerof FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cut-away view of a portion of the tower of FIG. 1,illustrating the placement and configuration of the support assemblies;

FIGS. 5, 5A and 5B illustrate the configuration and mounting details ofa support assembly on each side of the product display tower of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6 and 6A are top perspective and top views, respectively, of theheader assembly of the product display tower of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are top perspective views of two exemplary cornerbrackets suitable for attachment on the product display tower of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective and side views respectively of thehanger plates used to attach a corner bracket to the adjacent sides ofthe product display tower of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 8C and 8D are perspective and top views respectively of a cornerbracket illustrating how the legs of the bracket are arranged andconnected to the hanger plates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are describedbelow and illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodimentsdescribed are only for purposes of illustrating the present inventionand should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention,which, of course, is limited only by the claims below. Other embodimentsof the invention, and certain modifications and improvements of thedescribed embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and allsuch alternate embodiments, modifications, and improvements are withinthe scope of the present invention.

Referring to the Figures in general, and to FIGS. 1 through 2A, inparticular, the present invention is directed to a product, ormerchandise display tower, designated generally as 100, for the retaildisplay of tools, accessories, and like items in a retail showroomenvironment, and which addresses the problems described above. While thetower is described for displaying tools and the like, it could also beused for other lengthy items such as brooms, some appliances, vacuums,and others.

As used herein, the term “tower” may refer to a display of varyingheight and width, and which is generally free-standing on a retailshowroom floor. The product display tower 100 of the present invention,in one embodiment, comprises a base 110, corner poles 120, a supportassembly 130, and a header 150.

A simplified environmental view of the product display tower 100 isshown in FIG. 1. Tools T and T2, shown here as edgers/trimmers, aredisplayed on the corners of the tower 100. Other items T3 can beattached to the sides. The power heads of the tools T1, T2 are supportedby corner brackets 200 (FIG. 7A) and the lower portions of the shafts oftools T1, T2 are supported, maintained substantially vertical, andlimited in transverse movement by the boom channels 370 of cornerbrackets 300. Corner brackets 200 and 300 are but two exemplary cornerbrackets that may be constructed utilizing the common corner bracketstructure described herein and illustrated in FIGS. 8A-8D. Otherbrackets may have the tool carrier configured differently.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the base assembly 110 is shown as beinggenerally square, having four sides; however, it will be appreciatedthat the baseframe assembly 110, and thus the product display tower 100,may comprise as few as three sides and more than four sides, as isdetermined to be most practical and desirable for display of theparticular types of tools and accessories. In the embodiment shown, thefour-sided base assembly 110 comprises four baseframe feet 112, abaseframe mount 114 centered within the four-sided assembly, andbaseframe cross-members 116, which interconnect the mount 114 withopposed feet 112.

The baseframe feet 112 are formed of 1.5 inch×1.5 inch, 16 gauge steeltubing, and the baseframe cross-members 116 are formed of 1 inch by 1inch, 16 gauge steel tubing. The baseframe mount 114 comprises a solidbaseplate 114 a that is formed of 0.125 ( 1/8 ) inch stainless steel.Flanges 114 b extend downwardly from each of the four sides to form abox-like, hollow structure. As shown in FIG. 3, mounting holes 114 c areformed proximate the four corners of the baseplate 114 a for mounting ofeach pole assembly, as described in greater detail below. Notches 114 dare formed in the flanges, corresponding in cross-section to thecross-members 116, whereby the baseplate 114 a is in contact with anddirectly supported by the cross-members 116. The baseframe feet 112,baseframe mount 114, and cross-members 116 are interconnected by asuitable welding technique. As will be appreciated, the materialscomprising the components of the base assembly 110 may be any suitableload-bearing, rigid metals.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the base assembly 110 isapproximately 24 inches square and the baseframe mount 114 isapproximately 12 inches square; however, dimensions may be varied toform a larger base assembly, or the base assembly may be elongated intoa rectangular geometry, so long as stability of the tower issufficiently maintained for the intended application. Further, theentire base assembly 110 may comprise a singular baseframe mount 114,which incorporates baseframe feet. Optionally, the baseframe feet 112may include adjustable levelers 115 (not shown) beneath at least two ofthe opposing baseframe feet 112 for adjustment when the product displaytower is positioned on an unlevel floor space. Again where the tower isto be other than four sided, the base would be shaped and constructedcorrespondingly.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the embodiment shown comprises four 2 inch×2inch corner poles, 122 formed of 14-gauge steel to be mounted to thefour corner holes 114 c of the baseframe mount 114. Note the cornerposts illustrated and used in this embodiment are actually angle bars (2sides).

As shown in FIG. 4, a generally 2 inch×2 inch mounting tab 124 is weldedat each end of each pole 122, having a mounting hole or aperture 126formed therethrough. The mounting tabs 124 are also 14 gauge steel,approximately 0.188 inches in thickness. The mounting hole 126 in eachtab 124 is approximately 0.30 inches in diameter. Welded to the innerside of each mounting hole 126 is a 0.25 inch 20 weldnut 127 tofacilitate threaded attachment. Each of the four poles 122 issubsequently mounted to the baseframe mount 114 baseplate 114 a with athreaded bolt (not shown), wherein the bolt is inserted from beneath thebaseframe mount 114 through the holes 114 c and 126, and then threadedthrough the weldnut 127, and tightened.

A series of holes 129 also is formed in each side of each pole 122.Referring again to FIG. 4, a series of four holes 129, evenly spacedapart, are formed through each side, the holes being approximately 0.38inches in diameter. As explained below, the holes 129 are formed onapproximately 24-inch centers, with the holes 129 at either end of eachpole 122 being formed approximately 2 inches from each end.

Turning now to FIGS. 2A, 5 and 5A through 5C, the support assembly 130of the product display tower 100 comprises a support panel 132 forattachment to each side of the tower 100. As best shown in FIG. 5, eachsupport panel 132 comprises a pair of vertical stretcher wires 133 towhich are affixed spaced pairs 135 of horizontally extending,spaced-apart support wires 135 a, b. The vertical wires 133 are formedof steel and are approximately 0.25 inches in diameter, and evenlyspaced apart horizontally at about 9.0 inches, center-to-center.

Each spaced pair 135 of horizontally extending spaced-apart supportwires 135 a, b are also formed of steel, with diameters of approximately0.25 inches. Each support wire 135 a, b is dimensioned to support up toabout 75 pounds. Each wire is spot-welded proximate its opposed ends toeach of the vertical wires 133 sufficiently to support the loads forwhich they are intended, As best shown in FIG. 2A, each pair of wires135 is spaced apart vertically approximately 0.63 inches center tocenter (dimension A), with the top support wires 135 a of adjacent pairs135 spaced apart vertically approximately 3.0 inches center-to-center(dimension B). This spacing has been selected to accommodate theattachment of both conventional existing pegboard-style hooks and thehanger plates of the corner brackets of the present invention. In thepegboard hooks, the upper hooks would protrude through the openingbetween the wires of a pair and the bottom of the hook would restagainst the next lower pair. When used with the hanger plates of FIGS.8A, 8B, end 210 b would loop over the upper wire of one set of wires andtab 210 d would snap beneath the lower wire of the next lower set. SeeFIGS. 1 and 2.

To attach each panel 132 to an adjacent pair of poles 122, as well as toensure stability, rigidity, and integrity of the product support tower100, each support panel 132 is attached to adjacent pairs of poles 122with weldnuts 137 through the spaced holes 129, best shown in FIGS. 4through 5B. As best shown in FIG. 5B, the weldnuts 137 are situatedbetween selected pairs of support wires 135, the weldnuts 137 alsohaving a center-to-center spacing of about 24 inches, corresponding tothe center-to-center spacing of holes 129 formed through the poles 122.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 6A, the header assembly 150 of the productdisplay tower 100 is shown. The header assembly comprises a boxlikestructure having four rectangular-shaped face panels 152, each facepanel formed of 16 gauge steel pieces that are joined together bywelding. Slots 152 e are formed inside the corner of each face 152 forthe interchangeability of signage or other graphics 158 (see FIGS. 1 and2).

A pair of cross-members 155 extends between two opposing faces 152 andare preferably interconnected by welding to the bottom member 152 a ofeach opposing face 152. Each of the cross-members 155 comprises a pairof spaced-apart holes 156. The spaced-apart holes 156 in eachcross-member 155 are spaced to ensure that all four holes 156 (two percross-member 155) properly align with the holes in the mounting holes126 in the tabs 124 at the top end of each pole 122, so that threadedfasteners (not shown) may be inserted through holes 156 and 126, andthen threaded into weldnuts 137 of the mounting tabs 124, and tightened.This completes construction of the product display tower 100.

Having fully described the construction of the product display tower 100itself, the design of the novel brackets will now be described. Numerousbracket types for supporting different items may be designed forattachment to the product display tower 100 described herein, includingthose for attachment to the individual side support panels 132; however,one aspect of a product display tower 100 configuration, as describedherein, is that it permits a novel corner bracket to be attached to twoadjacent sides of the display tower 100 so that products may hangoutwardly from the corners of the display tower 100. Thus, products,such as power trimmers/edgers, may now be more easily displayed on arectangular or square product display tower 100, which also increasesthe number of products that may be displayed on a single tower.

Turning now to FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 8A-D, the construction of the cornerbracket of the present invention is illustrated. The basic componentupon which the corner bracket is constructed is the hanger plate shownin FIGS. 8A and 8B. The hanger plate 210, 310, etc. (which is common toall corner brackets) is a vertical elongate steel plate, having asubstantially flat outer surface 210 a, 310 a. As best shown in FIG. 8B,the hanger plate 210, 310 comprises a upper inverted U-shaped end 210 b,310 b at its upper end for looping over and engaging the upperhorizontal support wire 135 a in each support wire pair 135. An arcuateinwardly turned lower end 210 c, 310 c, in combination with the verticallength of the hanger plate, positively engages the lower horizontalsupport wire 135 b in the wire pair 135 immediately below. A tab 210 d,310 d extends inwardly from the turned lower end 210 c, 310 c forreleasing the hanger plate from engagement with the support wires 135 a(upper pair) and 135 b (lower pair). Further, as best shown in FIG. 8B,the intermediates support wires 135 b (upper pair) and 135 a (lowerpair) provide additional support and stability to the hanger plate 210,310.

Referring now to FIGS. 8C and 8D, beginning with the hanger plates 210,310, the common structure of one of the many possible corner bracketdesigns is illustrated. As shown in the Figures, the corner bracketconstruction requires a pair of hanger plates 210, 310 for attachment toadjacent support sections 132 of the product display tower 100.Attached, to each hanger plate, preferably by welding, is a 90 degree(shown as θ in FIG. 8D) corner bridge wire 220, 320, which adjoins thehanger plates 210, 310 together proximate the lower edges of the outersurface 210 a, 310 a of each hanger plate. A corner hook support wire240, 340 comprises a vertical leg 240 a, 340 a that is attached to eachof the hanger plate outer surfaces 210 a, 310 a, and then turnsoutwardly at its upper end at about a 90 degree angle with a leg 240 b,340 b extending horizontally outwardly. As shown in the Figures, thelegs 240 b, 340 b are angled to merge toward the center of the cornerbracket, at which point horizontal support wires 240 c, 340 c extendoutwardly substantially parallel therefrom. Lastly, a upwardly-angledand outwardly-extending, U-shaped gusset wire 250, 350 interconnects thecorner bridge wire 220, 320 to the horizontal support wires 240 c, 340 cto provide additional bracing support to the horizontal support wires240 c, 340 c.

Turning lastly to FIGS. 7A and 7B, two of many exemplary embodiments ofcorner brackets are shown, each comprising the common structuredescribed above. FIG. 7A is an exemplary corner bracket 200 for a powertool such as an edger or other elongated tool having a shaft and a powerhead. Extending transverse to and then turning outwardly is a price hook260, to which pricing information/tags, etc. may be affixed or hung. Theprice hook 260 is also spot welded to the horizontal support wires 240c. Affixed to the free ends of the horizontal support wires 240 c is aproduct carrier member in the form of a cradle wire 270, which comprisesa C-shaped cradle that is dimensioned for receiving the shaft andsupporting the power head of the tool. Also extending downwardly fromthe ends of the support wires is a stabilizing support 280 to providestability for the tool and to hold the shaft of the tool in asubstantially vertical position so that it does not swing inwardly onthe product display tower 100.

FIG. 7B is an exemplary corner bracket 300, similar to bracket 200except having product carrier member in the form of a boom channel 370.This type of corner bracket 300 is intended to be attached to theproduct display tower at a lower position for the purpose of supportingthe boom, or shaft of a power tool, such as a trimmer. An invertedU-shaped support 340 d extends upwardly from the free ends of thesupport wires 340 c for attachment, by welding to the rear surface ofthe boom channel 370, which is mounted in a substantially verticalorientation. All other features of the corner bracket 300 are common tothe corner bracket 200.

Although the present invention has been described with exemplaryembodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variationsmay be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Suchmodifications and variations are considered to be within the purview andscope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A product display tower for utilization inassociation with tools, accessories, and related items on display in aretail showroom, the product display tower comprising: a plurality ofcorner poles extending upwardly between a base and a header; a pluralityof horizontally spaced-apart support wires extending between the cornerpoles on at least two adjacent sides of the display tower andinterconnected thereto forming product display supports; at least onecorner bracket comprising a product carrier member, a pair of legsextending from the product carrier member at a 90° angle with respect toeach other, each leg terminating in a hanger plate so configured as toselectively attach to and be supported by the support wires; whereinproducts may be displayed from the corners of the product display tower,as well as from the sides.
 2. The product display tower of claim 1,wherein the corner poles are two-sided, forming a 90° angle and arrangedin such a manner that two sides form the outside surface of a cornerpole
 3. The product display tower of claim 1 wherein the spaced-apartwires extend between all corner posts and form display supports foritems on the sides as well as the corners,
 4. The product display towerof claim 1, wherein the plurality of horizontally spaced-apart supportwires extending between and interconnected to a pair of adjacent polescomprise pairs of flexible support wires for releasable and frictionalattachment of product display brackets thereto.
 5. The product displaytower of claim 4, wherein the support wires are arranged in pairs eachwire approximately 0.25 inches in diameter and the wires of each pairare spaced-apart approximately 0.63 inches from center to center.
 6. Theproduct display tower of claim 5, wherein the uppermost support wires inadjacent pairs are vertically spaced-apart approximately 3.0 inchescenter-to-center.
 7. The product display tower of claim 1 wherein eachproduct carrier member comprises a tool-specific holder attached to freeends of the bracket legs.
 8. A product display tower for utilization inassociation with tools, accessories, and related items on display in aretail showroom, the product display tower comprising: a base having aplurality of sides and corners; a plurality of corner poles extendingupwardly proximate each of the plurality of corners; a plurality ofsupport assemblies corresponding in number to the number of sides of thebase assembly, each support assembly comprising at least twohorizontally spaced vertical support members, each having a plurality ofvertically spaced-apart support wires extending therebetween andinterconnected thereto, each support assembly attached between adjacentpairs of poles to form product display attachments on each of the sidesof the base assembly; and a header assembly having a plurality ofcorners interconnected to each of the plurality of upwardly extendingpoles; at least one corner bracket comprising a product carrier member,a pair of legs extending from the product carrier member at a 90° anglewith respect to each other, each leg terminating in a hanger plate soconfigured as to selectively attach to and be supported by the supportwires; wherein products may be displayed from the corners of the productdisplay tower, as well as from the sides.
 9. The product display towerof claim 8, wherein the base assembly is substantially rectangular andhas four corners.
 10. The product display tower of claim 9, wherein thepole assembly comprises four poles extending upwardly from the fourcorners of the base panel.
 11. The product display tower of claim 8,wherein the corner poles are two-sided.
 12. The product display tower ofclaim 8, wherein the support assemblies extending between andinterconnected to a pair of adjacent corner poles comprise pairs offlexible support wires for releasable and frictional attachment ofproduct display brackets thereto.
 13. The product display tower of claim12, wherein the support wires in each pair are each approximately 0.25inches in diameter and the pair are spaced-apart approximately 0.63inches from center to center.
 14. The product display tower of claim 13,wherein the uppermost support wires in adjacent pairs are verticallyspaced-apart approximately 3.0 inches from center to center.
 15. Theproduct support tower of claim 12, wherein each of the product displaybrackets for attachment to the spaced-apart support wires comprise apair of commonly-formed hanger plates for direct attachment to thespaced-apart support wires on two adjacent sides of the product displaytower.
 16. The product display tower of claim 15, further comprising acorner wire interconnecting the pair of hanger plates for each productdisplay bracket, the corner wire forming a 90 degree angle between thepair of hanger plates.
 17. The product display tower of claim 14,further comprising a pair of substantially horizontal support wires,each of the pair attached to a respective hanger plate and extendingoutwardly therefrom.
 18. The product display tower of claim 15, furthercomprising a gusset wire support attached to and extending outwardly andupwardly from the corner wire for attachment to and support of thesubstantially horizontal support wires attached to the pair of hangerplates.
 19. The product display tower of claim 17, further comprising atool-specific holder attached to free ends of the substantiallyhorizontal support wires.